Accra, July 6, GNA – The Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union of Trades Union Congress Ghana (TEWU-TUC) has described the strike by the Tertiary Education Workers’ Union, Ghana (TEWU-GH), as arbitrary, undemocratic, irresponsible, and an affront to established industrial order.
TEWU-TUC viewed the so-called strike by TEWU-GH as an act of bad faith and an orchestrated distraction by a splinter group that continued to seek relevance through disorder and lawlessness.
This was in a statement signed by King James Azortibah, the General Secretary, TEWU-TUC, and copied to the Ghana News Agency on the illegal strike by TEWU-GH on Thursday, July 3, 2025.
The statement said TEWU-GH’s refusal to follow the laid-down legal processes in challenging representation and their resort to public disorder was a gross abuse of union freedoms and an insult to the intelligence of discerning workers.
“Let it be known that TEWU-GH does not have the legal capacity to represent or negotiate for the category of workers in public universities.
“Their current conduct is, therefore, not only illegitimate but also tantamount to a dangerous threat to national industrial harmony,” the statement said.
Setting the records straight, the statement said TEWU of TUC was the legally recognised union mandated to represent educational workers in public universities across the country.
That, it stressed, had been affirmed in no uncertain terms by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission in its letter dated August 2, 2023.
The letter states that TEWU of TUC holds the collective bargaining certificate for the class of workers in contention and that section 99 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651) is unambiguous in this regard.
The statement also said the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, by its official letter dated June 18, 2025, reinforced TEWU of TUC’s legitimacy as the rightful representative on the Governing Councils of Public Traditional Universities.
GTEC has directed all such universities to swear in TEWU of TUC representatives and not to entertain any imposters from TEWU-GH.
The statement urged all members of TEWU-TUC to remain resolute, steadfast, and focused in the face of these diversionary antics.
It urged them to treat the illegal strike of TEWU-GH with the contempt it deserved and continue to discharge their duties with dedication, dignity and commitment, with the conviction that they are duly and lawfully represented by TEWU-TUC.
“We urge TEWU-TUC members to reject any attempt by TEWU-GH to exploit their good conscience for selfish, misguided ends,” it said.
The statement assured all members that TEWU of TUC would continue to engage constructively with all relevant stakeholders and authorities to protect their rights, defend their interests, and pursue improved working and living conditions.
GNA
Christian Akorlie